


Cultural Confusion

by Morrigayn_DeWyvern



Series: Cultural Confusion [1]
Category: Transformers - All Media Types, Transformers: Prime
Genre: Breastfeeding, Explicit Language, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-25
Updated: 2014-07-25
Packaged: 2018-02-10 03:45:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2009715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Morrigayn_DeWyvern/pseuds/Morrigayn_DeWyvern
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The children make an unexpected discovery and learn a lesson in cultural differences.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Camfield](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Camfield/gifts).



> Running with an idea from the author Camfield concerning “breastfeeding” Transformers. I did some research into extended breastfeeding in primates and humans. Western culture frowns on breastfeeding an infant or toddler beyond three years at the maximum while historically in most cultures and within our closest primate cousins children were normally breastfed between 3 and 7 years (when permanent teeth began to cut). There were many cultural and pseudo-scientific reasons why the Western world moved away from breastfeeding in general and extended breastfeeding specifically.
> 
> In my head cannon, Cybertronians who were sparked (and their bonded if sparked while bonded) have the ability to process the energon, nanites and other metals and ores into a sparkling mix that is held in specialized feeding lines and storage pouches in the chassis of the Cybertronian on either side of the spark chamber that looks vaguely similar to the female breast. Once activated these lines never deactivate though the Carrier and Sire do have a great deal of conscious control over the parenting protocols unless their sparkling is in distress which causes fluxes in its EM field that causes immediate filling of the feeding lines when the parent senses the fluxes. 
> 
> Those who have never sparked (or been bonded to a sparked Cybertronian) feeding lines and storage are underdeveloped. The only exception to this rule is the Prime. He was “parent” to all Cybertronians in a sense and historically it was the Prime who took in all orphans when the Cybertronian people were at much lower numbers. His feeding lines activated upon becoming Prime.
> 
> Sparklings suckle for nutrition and development as they need the nourishment and the EM fields overlap from their parents for normal protoform, spark and processor development. The physical contact with the parent and feeling the spark beat is soothing. There is no adequate artificial replacement as the sparkling needs the EM field and spark beat interactions as well as the energon mix. Sparklings that are orphaned are adopted out to Cybertronians that are sparked, lost a sparkling/youngling or have a sparkling that has recently emerged. Forced weaning through death of a parent with no replacement or at an arbitrary date that does not reflect the sparkling/youngling’s physical and psychological readiness causes distress and damage to the child that will have consequences for its long life.
> 
> Also, since Cybertronians are extremely long lived, it doesn’t seem unrealistic for a parent or adopted parent to feed the sparkling from emergence through younglinghood until the child comes of age, i.e. Young adulthood.

Ratchet was in the engineering bay working on Ground Bridge calibrations when he felt Bumblebee’s EM fields spike in distress. Ratchet immediately dropped the tools onto the top of the tool cart and made his way to the Rec. Room to find out why his adopted youngling was in distress. When he opened the door to the Rec. Room, he found Raf, Miko and Jack on one side of the room and Bumblebee on the other. Bumblebee ventilations were coming in heaving gasps and his Cybertronian shorthand was stuttered and intermixed with clicks and chirrs of the youngling’s crying as he wildly gesticulated at the children. Bumblebee’s door wings were rigid in tension and his armor was vibrating in distress. The children were on the other side of the room and scrambled away from Bee every time he tried to reach out to him. Raf looked confused and scared. Miko and Jack had looks of revulsion, anger and betrayal on their faces. The pain from Bumblebee caused Ratchet’s Carrier protocols to automatically online.

“What is going on here!” Ratchet roared at his child’s distress. Ratchet immediately pulled Bumblebee into his embrace and flared his EM field to try to calm Bee. Bee leaned into Ratchet as his emotions completely let go. He buried his face-plates into Ratchet’s chassis and began to instinctively root for comfort.

“Jeez, the sick fucker sucks on Ratchet, too. Is there anyone here he hasn’t sucked on?” Jack spat with disgusted venom. He shuddered at the thought. 

Bumblebee stiffened and yanked himself away from Ratchet and bolted from the Rec. Room chirring and clicking in pain.

“What in the Pit are you talking about, Jack!” Ratchet growled as he picked up the young man.

“You guys are some sick, sick puppies, Ratchet!” Jack spat back.

Miko spoke up, “Put him down, Ratchet. It is not Jack’s fault that you guys got some weird kinks.”

Ratchet froze at the remark. He knew what the slang term “kink” meant from his reading on the Internet as well as psychological medical journals.

“Bumblebee has not come of age. He has no interest in interfacing or sex.” Ratchet said genuinely confused.

“That’s not what Miko found out this morning.” Raf spoke.

“Huh?” Ratchet was beginning to wonder if the children hadn't eaten or breathed in something that was causing hallucinations.

Miko opened her phone and pulled up a pic and tossed the phone to Ratchet. Ratchet caught the phone and looked. In the pic, he could see Bumblebee cuddled up against Optimus suckling his morning rations as he has always done since the Autobots found him as just emerged sparkling in between the legs of his offlined Carrier in the ruins of a town destroyed by Decepticons. They never knew if the Carrier had been in stages of emergence or the mech’s offlining triggered emergence. It was Sideswipe and Sunstreaker that had found Bumblebee. They brought the sparkling back to their bond mate, Ratchet who had just lost a near full-term sparkling to still emergence hoping to ease his distress. Ratchet took the sparkling and became his Carrier. A few orns later, the two front liners were sent to another base as the war intensified. Ratchet had been stationed with the Prime. Prime immediately was enamored of the little sparkling and took the role of Sire in his life.

There was a look of innocent love shining in Bee’s optics as he looked up at Optimus as he suckled from the feeding line and storage pouch on the Prime’s right side of his spark chamber which was Bee’s favorite feeding nub. Ratchet could tell that Bee had just started suckling as the Prime’s pouches were heavily distended and taut, full of youngling mix energon. Optimus had a look of tender love directed toward the scout as he ran his digits across Bee’s cheek plates.

“You guys are disgusting. Bee’s a teenager…who in their right mind lets a teenager suck on a tit?” Miko spat.

Ratchet began to tremble in rage. “You little filthy organic…who do you think you are to feel disgust at Bumblebee for doing what is right and normal…you little nosy bitch…always sneaking around poking your damned eyes and phone where they don’t belong…” 

Ratchet threw the phone, smashing it against a wall and lunged at the children in a blind rage over the suffering of his child. Unexpectedly, Optimus grabbed Ratchet around his waist struts to stop him from attacking the children. The Prime and the others had made their way into the Rec. Room when they heard Ratchet’s roaring. Bumblebee had run past them with coolant running down is face-plates and chirring and clicking like the distressed child he was.

“Stop, Ratchet!” Optimus said. Ratchet’s parental protocols were on overload. He was struggling with the Prime to get free.

“I will not. That bitch was sneaking around this morning and took a picture of you giving Bumblebee suck and then proceeded to show it to the others…they made Bumblebee feel disgusting and dirty…I’ll kill them…”

The Prime, Arcee and Bulkhead all stiffened at Ratchet’s ranting. Looks of anger clouded Arcee and Bulkhead’s faceplates.

“Is that true, Jack?” Arcee demanded.

“What, you let him suck on your tits, too?” Jack asked.

Arcee smacked Jack hard sending him flying across the Rec. Room. “How dare you…”

Optimus roared at the top of his vocalizer, “Silence!”

“Bulkhead, take the children home. You three are not allowed back in the base until further notice. Arcee, contact Mrs. Darby and have her come to the base when she gets off of work to discuss this development and how to deal with the children. Ratchet and I are going to look for Bumblebee.”

Ratchet and Optimus turned to leave. Bulkhead transformed into his alternate form. Arcee grabbed Jack, Raf and Miko and threw them unceremoniously into Bulkhead’s alternate form. His seat belts tied tightened around them uncomfortably. 

“Don’t speak to me, unless you want to walk home.” Bulkhead told the children through his radio. His voice held thinly suppressed rage. His alternate form was shaking with anger and it was scorching hot inside. Miko jerked at his tone. The children had sullen, obstinate looks on their faces but did not speak. Bulkhead drove to Jack’s home, literally dumped them on the road and tore off in a cloud of smoke and squealing tires without so much as a good bye. Back at the base, Arcee contacted June, told her that the children and Bumblebee had an altercation, and June needed to come to the base to discuss it. June agreed. Arcee cut communication and manned the monitors while Ratchet and Optimus searched for Bumblebee. Someone needed to maintain security measures. 

Arcee commed Bulkhead, “Those slaggers dropped off?”

“Yeah. Dumped the glitches on the road in front of Jack’s place.” Bulkhead growled.

“Take the patrol, Bulk. I am on monitor duty. Ratchet and Optimus are going to have enough to deal with.”

“Will do, Bulkhead out.” Bulkhead was happy to be on patrol. He could work out excess energy driving and scanning. If he found any ‘Cons today, they’d get the pounding of the orn. He hadn't been this angry in many, many vorns.

Meanwhile, Ratchet and Optimus searched for the distressed youngling. The first checked his berth room and then their own individual rooms. Bumblebee was not in the berth rooms. They tried checking the wash racks and waste reclamation units with no luck. They then split up and looked for Bumblebee in the medbay and the Prime’s office. Both Autobots were beginning to worry about Bumblebee’s absence. They tried coming the little, yellow scout but he did not respond. 

Ratchet commed Arcee, “Do you see Bumblebee’s EM signature on the monitors?” Ratchet worried that Bumblebee had ran out of the base.

“Negative, Ratchet.”

Ratchet commed Optimus, “Arcee doesn’t see Bee’s EM signatures on the monitors. He didn’t leave the base. I suppose he may have hidden in the lower levels or storage rooms.”

“I’ll check the storage rooms. Ratchet, check the lower levels. Prime out.”

Ratchet made his way to the lower levels of the base where the pipes and electrical conduits were housed. Ratchet was grumbling and cursing as he looked. He flared his EM fields trying to sense the young scout’s fields but he could feel nothing. He went lower and lower into the bowels of the base into areas that were hidden for Top Secret uses when the base was used by humans. The deepest levels were covered in dust, and the lighting flickered in and out from shorted electrical lines. Many of the bulbs were burnt. Ratchet could hear rodents and insects crawling around in the dark. Ratchet notice scuff marks in the dust almost by accident. He followed the scuffs and disturbed cobwebs. He came around a corner and heard chirrs and clicks. Ratchet flared his EM fields to comfort the child, but he could not sense Bee’s EM fields. Bee was in such distress that his EM fields had contracted down to his armor and protoform causing pain to Bee’s protoform and processor.

“Prime, I found him. He is deep in the top secret section. His EM fields are severely contracted. I am going to try to talk to him and get him to come to me.” Ratchet sent the internal comm.

“Okay, Ratchet. I am on my way.” 

Ratchet stepped out of the dark and could see Bee curled in on himself in a corner like an un-emerged sparkling in the gestational chamber. Bee’s door wings were tightly laid against his back struts and made small jerky caresses. Bee was sucking on his digit tips as he chirred and clicked. There were pools of cleanser and coolant on the ground where Bee’s face-plates lay and a mud was smeared on the child. He’d been crying nonstop judging by the amount of coolant and cleanser puddled on the floor beneath his faceplates. His optics had to be burning, and the reservoirs for the coolant and cleanser had to be near empty. Ratchet saw the wing rubbing and the digit sucking as attempts of the young ‘Bot trying to self soothe. Ratchet’s spark broke watching his adopted child laying in the dirt and detritus trying to calm himself. The anger simmering in his spark was pushed to the back as he quietly walked over and knelt down by Bee. Bee never noticed Ratchet approach. He was too lost in the agony of his friends reacting in such visceral revulsion to him. Ratchet gently laid a hand on Bee’s helm as he flared his EM fields. He could immediately sense the deep pain and unstable spark fluctuations coming from the small scout. Ratchet began to send pulses of calm EM fields. Bee jerked away.

“Go away, Ratchet. I am not a sparkling to need coddling.” Bee chirred as he turned himself to face the wall away from Ratchet’s tender ministrations.

“No, Bee, you are not a sparkling. You are my youngling, and you are hurting, badly. Let me help you.” Ratchet spoke quietly.

Bee shook his helm in the negative and pulled his door wings tighter against his back and hunched further into himself. Ratchet knew Bee desperately needed his adopted Carrier’s EM, and he needed to suckle to calm and replenish his overwrought system; however, Bee was closed off and refusing what he desperately needed. Ratchet would not force the issue. He sat down next to Bee, continued to caress his back struts and cover the forlorn scout in warm, loving EM fields and waited for the Prime to make it down here. Ratchet heard the Prime long before he saw him. A mech of the Prime’s size could not move quietly in the cramped passages that made up the warren under the base.

“How is he?” Optimus inquired in a low tone as he sat down next to Ratchet.

“Hurting and refusing comfort.” Ratchet said in a pained voice.

The Prime flared his EM field to touch Bee. The pain was intense. Optimus hissed and felt his parenting protocols online. The feeding lines and storage pouches filled to painful engorgement over the suffering of his adopted child. Normally, Optimus’ feeding lines and pouches filled once a day in the morning when Bee came to him to suckle. Ratchet was Bee’s evening feed. The midday ration he took from the regular cubes. By Cybertronian standards, Bee was close to weaning. In another couple of human centuries, he would move down to the evening suckling and in a couple more stop all together as his processor, protoform and spark reached final maturity. Bee only suckled at any other time if he was stressed or sick. He hadn't needed extra suckling in vorns.

“Bee, please, come here.”

“No, go away.” Bee buzzed to the wall.

“We are not going away, Bee. We are your parents…”

Bee could feel the control he was trying to exert faltering as the combined EM fields from his adopted parents washed over him in soothing waves. His instinctual youngling protocols were fighting with his higher level logic programming. His helm hurt along with his protoform and spark. He began to tremble at the proximity of his parents. Optimus opened his chassis. The feeding nubs began to drip youngling mix energon as they made contact with the air. Bee could smell it, and it increased his longing a thousand fold. He turned to face his adopted Sire and Carrier but still made no move toward them.

“Only babies suck. I am not a baby.” Bee chirred at them.

Ratchet ventilated deeply at Bee’s Cybertronian shorthand. “Bee, you are not a human child. You are Cybertronian. You have very different physical and spark needs than a human. You are causing yourself harm by trying to emulate the children. You have lived with the humans, but you cannot not adopt their cultural norms as your own. They simply don’t apply.”

“They laughed at me and called me disgusting…said I am perverted…they ran from me like I was worse than a ‘Con…like I had Cybonic Plague.” Bee hiccupped and sobbed in Cybertronian shorthand.

Ratchet scowled and went to speak, but Optimus spoke first, “They have been sent home and told to stay away for the time being. I don’t think they meant to hurt you, Bee. What Miko did was wrong, but they cannot help how they reacted. Many intelligent, sentient beings the galaxy over have had visceral reactions when presented with something that seems to go against their ingrained cultural norms. They are children and reacted as children do with teasing and taunting. I have asked Mrs. Darby to come by later, and we’ll figure out how to deal with what happened.”

Bee was listening to his adopted Sire and nodded. The Prime reached out to the scout. Bee’s resolve broke as he reached out to his Sire. Optimus pulled the little, yellow scout into his arms and held him close, keening soft sounds of reassurance to Bee. Bee trembled against the open chassis of his Sire but did not latch on the feeding nubs to suckle. Ratchet removed a chamois cloth from his storage and gently wiped the mud and coolant off of Bee’s face-plates. Optimus gently cradled Bee’s helm to his favorite feeding nub. Bee tried to shake his helm no, but his instinctual youngling programming kicked in. Bee latched to suck then broke off as the youngling mix energon began to flow well. This repeated many times.

“I am going to give Bee a sedative, Optimus. He is fighting his youngling protocols, and he is going to damage his processor if he continues. It will be a light sedative to calm his overwrought processor enough to allow his youngling protocols to function properly.” Ratchet internally commed the Prime.

“Bee, I am going to inject you with something to help you.” Ratchet said very gently as he injected the sedative into Bee’s main energon line in his neck cables.

The effects were almost immediate. Bee’s optics dimmed from the sedative, and he latched on to the Prime’s feeding nub and began to suckle hard as his processor stopped fighting his youngling protocols. His protoform began to relax and curl against the Prime’s chassis soaking up Optimus’ EM fields and energy from his spark beat. His wings drooped loosely, and he chirred sleepily from the sedative, the effects of the suckling and close proximity to his Sire. Bee quickly drained both feeding lines and buzzed needing more. Prime gently passed Bee to Ratchet whose chassis was open with his feeding lines engorged and ready. Ratchet curled Bumblebee against his chassis. Bee began to lap and suckle at his Carrier’s lines. He drained one feeding line and fell into recharge while mouthing the other feeding nub that was partially drained. The two Autobots sat on the dusty floor in the deep of the base for many kliks until they were certain Bee was deep into recharge. Prime cleaned his feeding lines, nubs and chassis of the spilt youngling mix energon with a chamois rag, closed his chassis and stood and held his hands out to Ratchet. Ratchet passed Bee to the Prime. Bee made small chirps in his recharge and almost immediately calmed when he felt the EM fields of his Sire. Ratchet cleaned his chassis of spilt youngling mix energon and closed his chassis. He then stood and both ‘Bots silently made their way back to the ground level of the base. Arcee and Bulkhead gathered around the Prime and Ratchet when they reentered the ground level.

“How’s Bee?” Bulkhead asked. Arcee peeked over the Prime’s arms to see Bee curled against Prime’s chassis deep in recharge. She noticed Bee was sucking at his digits in his recharge. 

“Exhausted and overwrought. The children really hurt him badly. I won’t know how bad the processor damage is for a day.” Ratchet spat in anger.

Optimus ventilated deeply, “We’ll be talking to June this evening to work out what happened. I don’t really think the children meant to hurt Bee.”

“Optimus, sometimes you are too kind sparked for your own good.” Arcee spat in anger.

“Be that as it may, I am going to try to repair the damage for both the Bee’s sake and the children’s. Arcee, Bulkhead, please continue to stand in for us.”

Both nodded. They knew Bee was going to need both of his adopted parents there when he woke. They remembered their own days as suckling younglings, and it renewed the hot anger at the children for hurting the youngest of their crew. He shouldn't have been in the Autobot army or participating in the war, but things were desperate, and even the younglings coming of age on both sides were recruited.

Bumblebee woke several joors later. He was between his adopted parents on the large berth of Optimus. The EM fields and spark beats of his parents soothed and reassured him. He un-shuttered his optics. He could see Ratchet’s feeding lines and pouches full. Bumblebee latched on and began to suckle. At first, the energon came in drips then as Ratchet’s let down reflex onlined the sweet energon began to come in full spurts into Bee’s oral cavity. Bee swallowed hungrily instinctively needing the fuel and the touch. Ratchet gently rubbed Bee’s horns. Bumblebee wrapped his arms tightly around Ratchet’s waist struts and snuggled deep into his Carrier’s energon pouch. Bee made soft chirring sounds as he suckled.

Optimus noticed that Bee’s optics were not focused and that his EM field was weak. “Is he still drugged, Ratchet?” Optimus was very concerned.

“No, the sedative was light. He is in deep spark shock and is functioning on instinct. He’s going to be like this for a day or so. He is also exhausted from being so physically and emotionally overwrought with pain from the children and fighting his youngling protocols. I’ll stay with him unless an emergency presents itself. I am too angry to talk calmly with June about Jack, Miko and Raf.” Ratchet internally commed Optimus.

Optimus rose from the berth. Bee made small whimpering sounds and wrapped himself tighter against Ratchet. Ratchet pulled warming blankets up around them and flared his EM fields to cover the traumatized scout. Bee calmed and shuttered his optics though he wasn't in recharge. Optimus gently kissed his child on the helm and left his berth room.

“June will be here in half an hour, Optimus.” Arcee said.

The Prime could see Arcee was still very angry. Bulkhead was pacing back and forth in the computer room in anger.

“I am going to ask that both of you try to stay in control of your emotions. I will talk to June about this. If you can remain quiet then you may sit in on the meeting, if you feel you cannot then find some worthwhile work to do or go take a long drive to relax.”

“We are going for a drive.” Arcee said and Bulkhead nodded. Both Autobots immediately transformed into their alternate modes and tore out of the base leaving the Prime to man the monitors.

Optimus sat down at the computer system to monitor for ‘Con activity. Before long, Optimus could hear June’s car drive up. He heard June get out the car and enter the base. June was in the computer room with Optimus shortly thereafter.

“Good evening, June.”

“Hi, Optimus. What is going on?”

“What did the children tell you?”

“Only that they argued with Bumblebee and was thrown out of the base because of it.” June was upset about what she thought happened. Jack had multiple bruises from Arcee. She wanted to chew Optimus’ audios for it, but decided to see what the Prime had to say. The children acted like they were hiding something, and June wanted to hear the Prime’s side of the story.

“That is not what occurred, at all. The children have had arguments with Arcee, Bulkhead and Bumblebee on different occasions. They have never been thrown out because of a difference of opinion.”

“What happened?”

“Bulkhead picked up Miko very early this morning as it is Saturday and left her in the Rec. Room while he went to monitor duty. I believe Miko got bored without Bulkhead and the other children and decided to explore. I think she came across my berth room, and the door was cracked open. Her curiosity got the better of her, and she looked in. She saw Bumblebee suckling. I think it shocked her, and she came to some erroneous conclusions. She took a picture and when Jack and Raf showed up, she showed them causing them to react with extreme disgust and revulsion. When Bumblebee finished suckling, he went to join the children in the Rec. Room. They attacked Bee for needing to suckle and called him perverted and disgusting. Ratchet went in to see what was going. Bumblebee ran off. The children accused all of us of perversion. Jack personally insulted Arcee, and she struck him. I had to break things up before the situation degraded further. I commanded Bulkhead to take the children home, and Arcee to contact you. Ratchet and I found Bee hiding in an old part of the base crying and in spark shock. Ratchet is with Bee now.”

June stood with her mouth hanging open looking up at the Prime. It was too much to process, and she had to get her bearings. She had to pull on her sensitivity training from work and remember other cultures did things differently. She swallowed a couple of times before speaking.

“How is Bee?”

“Still in deep shock. He fought Ratchet and me when we found him. He didn’t want to come to either of us or suckle which he desperately needed. His youngling protocols overrode his processor, and he finally came to us.”

“Uh…I take it that Cybertronians suckle their young for an extended period of time?” June finally asked.

“No, we do not. I know what extended breastfeeding means in human terms, especially Western cultures. We do not suckle our young past the norm for us. For us, we suckle our young until they come of age and always have. A sparkling or youngling need it as they are growing and changing quickly in their formative years. They need the physical contact, the spark contact and the energon mix. Bumblebee was found orphaned when he had just emerged…born. Ratchet had lost a child and took Bee as his parental protocols were activated as a Carrier. I became Bee’s adopted Sire.”

“So Ratchet is female?”

“No, he is mech…male. For us, there is little difference between our genders. Both of us can conceive, birth children and feed them.”

“Then you and Ratchet are a couple that adopted Bee?”

“No. Ratchet has two bond mates which are twin mechs. I am bonded to a femme. Due to the war, we are separated from our mates. Ratchet was stationed with me and brought Bee along as a sparkling. I loved Bee from the beginning and took over the role of his Sire.”

June sat down on a chair and sighed deeply. This was not the way to get introduced to another culture. Apparently, Cybertronians were polygamous and hermaphroditic. It was a lot to have to think about.

“How do you feed a child?”

“When a Cybertronian is sparked…pregnant…it causes the feeding and parenting protocols to online. It causes the feeding lines and storage pouches to develop from stasis. If that Cybertronian is bonded, then the mate’s protocols online.”

“You said Ratchet lost a child. What about you?”

“I am Prime. My parenting protocols onlined immediately after I became Prime. I am the embodiment of Primus our creator-parent.”

“Would it be offensive to ask to see your feeding lines?” June asked.

“Not at all. We have never hidden to suckle our children. It is not seen as deviant or perverse in our society to openly suckle our children.”

Optimus opened his chassis. June could see two large pouches on either side of his spark chamber. They were soft and flaccid. At the tips were nubs. Optimus activated his feeding protocols causing the pouches to fill. She watched raptly as they filled. They filled until they were pendulous and taught with fluids.

“What do you feed your children?”

“Our bodies process energon into a mix for sparklings containing nanites for their developing auto-repair systems as well as metals and ores that a sparkling needs to develop a healthy protoform. The mix changes as the child grows and matures and changes when a child is distraught or sick.”

June put her face in her hands and sighed again. She wished Miko never went snooping.

“You nurse your children until they are adults?”

“Young adults. Our children are young for a very short time as compared to our long life spans. They need the physical and emotional support from suckling until their bodies and sparks completely mature. We are a very tactile species…our younglings even more so. Forcibly weaning a youngling or sparkling causes serious damage that has repercussions for their entire life.”

June shut her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Where is Bee in this process?”

“Bee is between Raf and Jack’s age in our terms. He was down to needing to suckle only twice daily in the morning and to recharge unless he was sick or stressed. Sparklings continually suckle between recharge cycles, and as they mature they suckle less and less often as their bodies more effectively use the sparkling mix and start taking in regular energon. In another few centuries, Bee would have naturally stopped nursing in the morning and only sought Ratchet or myself out to suckle to recharge. In a few more centuries, he would have matured enough to not to need to suckle at all. He would be of age.”

“And now?”

“He’ll recover from this although he is going to need to suckle much more than he would normally because of the emotional stress and the physical damage from fighting his protocols. He is also going to need a lot of contact with Ratchet and me until he regains his emotional equilibrium. I am worried that he is going to fight it though.”

“Why?”

“Bee has been deeply involved with the children from the beginning. He loves the children and most of human culture. When they attacked him, he felt they were right, and there was something wrong with him. They were the first contact he had with anyone near his own age and sees them as his siblings. You can imagine how traumatizing it is to have your family turn against you.”

“And you want me to help the children understand your culture and get them to apologize to Bee?”

“And try to reconcile the children with Bee’s needs, to help repair Bee’s relationship with them and to help Bee understand he is not perverse or disgusting.”

“There is no sexual component to his suckling?” June asked.

The Prime’s optics flashed in anger. “Did you have a sexual component with Jack when he was young?”

June shuddered, “No of course not, but he stopped nursing a lot younger than Bee. Jack is coming of age and has shown interest in girls.”

“That is the difference between humans and Cybertronians. Bee is nowhere near sexual maturity. It would be many centuries after he came of age before his sexuality awakened. Neither Ratchet nor I desire anyone other than our mates. We do not condone incest in our culture especially the abuse of sparklings.” Optimus tone was cold with anger at June’s fears.

“I am sorry, Optimus. I don’t mean to offend. It is a lot for me to understand, and I can see why the children reacted the way they did. Can I see Bee and Ratchet interacting; it would make it more real instead of theory.”

“Only if you are quiet. Bee is very traumatized, and I don’t think his spark could take anyone reacting negatively to him.”

“I’ll be quiet.”

Optimus knelt down and gently lifted June to his shoulder for her to stand. He commed Ratchet with the news.

“Bee is quiet at the moment. If she acts up, take her out. I will not have my child gawked at like a freak.” Ratchet groused over the internal comm.

Optimus walked to his berth room and quietly entered. June could see Bumblebee curled against Ratchet. Ratchet gave her a sour look and turned his attention back to Bumblebee. She could see there was something seriously wrong with Bee. He didn't seem to be completely aware and was listless. She was used to seeing Bee chirping in happiness or even in anger not just lying there and absently mouthing at his digits.

“He’s really hurt! What is wrong with him?” June spoke quietly to Optimus.

“He fought his youngling protocols. It became an internal, physical and spark struggle between his protocols and the higher functions of his processor. It causes injury to the processor and circuits. Ratchet gave him a light sedative to calm his processor. His youngling protocols are overriding his higher programming in his processor. ” Optimus whispered back.

“Optimus, you need to suckle Bee. I am drained dry. His body is using the mix almost as fast as it can be produced.” Ratchet said.

Optimus nodded and sat down on the berth pulling the traumatized scout into his lap as Ratchet rose to refuel. Bee began to instinctively root for Optimus’ feeding nub. He latched on and began to suckle. Tears ran down his optics and he chirred in distress.

“Shh, Bee. It is okay. I am here. Ratchet will be back soon. He needs to fuel up.” Optimus gently caressed the youngling to soothe him.” Bee settled at Optimus’ gentle tone. He looked up at Optimus’ optics. There was comprehension in them that his Sire was here. Optimus smiled at Bee. Bee smiled and youngling mix ran from the corners of his lip plates. Optimus gently wiped it off. “Rest, Bee. Everything is going to be okay.”

Bee shuttered his optics as he suckled from both of Optimus’ pouches. At the end, he was mouthing the nub and falling into recharge. When he was completely into recharge, he let June off of his shoulder to talk. June looked at Bee peacefully recharging against Optimus open chassis. Part of her revolted at the idea a child of Bee’s age needed to suckle, but the other part of her understood what Optimus said was true. Ratchet reentered the berth room carrying cubes of energon. He passed two to Optimus and drained two. He gave June and intense look before he spoke.

“Disgusted with Bumblebee?” Ratchet asked.

“No, it is a culture shock, but I am not disgusted by Bumblebee’s needs.”

“Are you going to try to help?”

“Yes, Ratchet. I will. Do you data pads about this part of your culture I can read? I really want to understand what is going on before I try to talk to the children.”

Ratchet was surprised at June’s request and immediately began downloading data into something a human could hold. “Yes, I’ll move the data into a human sized data pad for you to read. I am really angry, June. This is not easy for me. I am following Prime’s orders to try to reconcile the children with Bee. If it were up to me, Bee would never speak to them again. Arcee and Bulkhead are very angry, too. It is going to be hard to reconcile with those two.”

June sighed and nodded. “I thought the children were hiding something. I couldn’t even to begin to guess this was it. I am going to everything I can to help.”

Ratchet passed a small data pad to her. “Please leave now. Bee needs to rest as do Optimus and me.”

June nodded and turned to leave. As the door slid shut, she could see Ratchet and Optimus sliding down into the berth with Bee positioned between them. Ratchet opened his chassis and the youngling was bathed in the light from both of his parent’s sparks.  


June made her way to the front of the base and found Arcee and Bulkhead in the Rec. Room. She could tell by the sour looks on their faceplates and the tone of their chirring and clicking in Cybertronian, they were probably discussing what had happened. They both startled to see June in the doorway and immediately stopped talking. They both gave stony looks to June.

“C’mon, you guys, please cut me some slack. I am trying to understand.” June said to the two Autobots.

Arcee ventilated deeply and said, “I know. It is just really hard for us. We are all very protective of Bumblebee. You weren't here. You didn't see how the children reacted…what Jack said to me.”  


“What did Jack say?”  


“He asked if I let Bee ‘suck off my tits too.’” Arcee spat.  


June blanched. She had taught Jack better than that. Miko must have really stirred Jack up for him to react so crudely. “I apologize for my son. I will speak to him about Bee and about how he behaved toward you.”  


“Fine.” Arcee spat. June knew Arcee held grudges, and it was going to be difficult.  


“Arcee, did you suckle as long as Bee?” June asked to change the subject and get other input.  


Arcee snorted, “Of course, all sparklings and younglings suckle. They need it. They develop problems in their protoforms and sparks if they don’t.”  


June nodded. It was what Ratchet had said.  


“My Carrier was a femme. My Sire was a mech. Pretty rare for our society. Both of my parents were killed in an accident shortly after I was weaned. The strongest memories for me of my parents is them talking to me as I suckled.” Arcee said lost in thought. “They loved me, a lot.”  


June could see Arcee’s love and devotion to the memories of her parents. June could also see there was nothing abnormal in her behavior toward suckling or her parents.  


“And you Bulkhead?” June asked.  


“Uh…I had a mech Carrier but no Sire. That is, my Carrier got sparked and my Sire disappeared. I suckled until I came of age. When my Carrier was working, I stayed with his sibling which also had a sparkling. The femme suckled us both until we came of age. I am still close to my Carrier’s sibling.”  


June was beginning to see that it was a normal part of Cybertronian culture to suckle their children until they came of age, but she had the Western concerns about the sexualized breast.  


“Children in human cultures that are coming of age are also sexually aware. Ratchet says this is not the case with Cybertronian younglings. How long after you came of age did you become sexually aware?”  
Arcee and Bulkhead looked lost in thought for a moment.  


“Oh about, 500 vorns later I think…uh about 5,000 years in human terms.” Arcee said.  


“It was later than that for me, closer to 800 vorns.” Bulkhead said with a bit of embarrassment at his late blooming.  


“Is that the norm?” June asked. She could read Ratchet’s data pad, but she wanted to understand this at a personal level not just sterile medical articles.  


“Yeah, it is. We mature very slowly by human terms, but we live for a very long time, too. When you look at how long the average Cybertronian lives, barring disease, murder or accident; our childhoods are very short. We change a lot during our sparkling and youngling days.” Bulkhead explained.  


June nodded deep in thought. “Thank you for explaining to me about your lives as younglings. I need to go home. I need to read what Ratchet gave me on sparklings and younglings. You have all given me a lot to think about before talking with the children. I’ll be in contact.”  


The two Autobots bid June good night. June drove home deep in thought. When she arrived, the house was dark. Raf and Miko must have went home for the evening. She entered the dark house and found Jack sitting on the sofa.  


“Hi, mom.” Jack said quietly.  


“Optimus told me what happened, Jack. Why did you lie to me?”  


“We didn’t lie!”  


“Omitted the truth then. I raised you better than that, Jackson Darby.”  


“Mom, Bee was sucking on Optimus…”  


“Did you bother to ask Bee or Optimus or did you attack Bee the moment he walked into the Rec. Room? Did you try to understand what Miko showed you? Did you bother to wonder how Miko got a picture of a private moment? Was Bee needing to suckle a reason to insult Arcee?”  


Jack cringed at the tone of his mother. He hadn't been in this much trouble in a very long time.  


“Mom…it was a shock…”  


“That is no excuse to bully Bumblebee or insult Arcee. I am very ashamed of your actions today, Jack.”  


Jack was stung at his mom’s words. “Mom, you can’t think Bumblebee sucking is normal?”  


“If Bumblebee were human, I would be very worried and contacted the authorities for possible sexual and psychological abuse. However, as a Cybertronian, it is completely normal for Bee to nurse until he reaches final maturity.”  


“They would say something like that, Mom.” Jack spat in disbelief.  


June decided not to argue any further with her child. She tossed a data pad at Jack.  


“Read this. It has all kinds of medical articles and instructions on sparklings and younglings. I have to go to bed. I have work tomorrow in the ER. Take that data pad with you when you visit Miko and Raf. I want you all to sit and read it. When I get off of work, we are all going to sit down and have a serious discussion about cultural differences and you three’s unacceptable behavior.” June turned to leave the living room. She made her way to the bathroom, took a shower and prepared for bed.  


Jack sighed deeply. He should have known Miko was over reacting, but it had been so easy to make assumptions. He began to worry when his mother spoke to them about what had happened and was going to the Autobot base to talk to Optimus. After Miko and Raf had left, Jack had sat and thought about things. He began to feel bad for how they had treated Bumblebee and even worse for what he had said to Arcee. When Arcee and Bulkhead had got upset, Jack should have calmed down instead of attacking Arcee. He knew Arcee would never condone anything hurtful to Bumblebee. She loved Bee like a little brother and had told that to Jack often. Jack turned on the data pad and began to read. The more he read the more ashamed he felt. Jack groaned and pulled his spiky hair up into a complete mess. They were in for it now. Jack turned the data off and lay down on the sofa with his arm thrown over his face. They’d fucked up but good. He dozed off into a fitful, un-restful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Bumblebee woke with a pounding processor ache. He moaned and put his hands to his helm and rubbed it. He felt like reheated slag. His processor was pounding in time to his spark beat and his protoform ached everywhere. When he finally opened his optics, he found he was between both of his adopted parents. Their chassis were open, and he was bathed in their spark light and energy. Ratchet stirred at Bee’s gentle movements.

“How you feeling, Bee?” Ratchet said quietly as he un-shuttered his optics.

Bee just shook his helm and moaned again. Ratchet could tell by Bee’s actions that his processor was functioning normally. Bee’s youngling protocols were no longer on over drive.

Bee looked to Optimus to suckle, but he could see his Sire was dry. Ratchet noticed this as well, “You were on Optimus all recharge. He is drained dry. Come here.”

Ratchet onlined his feeding protocols and was quickly engorged. Bee snuggled close and took his morning feed. He ventilated deeply as the pounding in his processor calmed somewhat. He moaned when he came off of Ratchet’s feeding nub and rubbed his helm again. 

Ratchet gently tweaked one of Bee’s helm horns, “That is from fighting your youngling protocols. Don’t do it again.” 

Bee nodded feeling Ratchet’s EM fields overlap with his full of love and concern. “Let’s get up and let Optimus rest. We’ll go the medbay, and I’ll run a few scans.”

Bee rose from the berth and wobbled a bit. He felt unsteady and a bit dizzy. Ratchet caught Bee’s elbow joint and helped guide him to the medbay. Once in the bay, Bee lay down on a berth and let Ratchet scan him. Ratchet injected a mild pain killer into Bee’s energon lines to help with the processor ache.

“Your systems are still showing stress, your processor is not functioning at optimum levels and your spark energies are low. You still need lots of rest and recuperation, Bee. You are on medical leave for the next orn. You will spend your solar cycles with Optimus and I. You will suckle when you need to and rest when you need to. Do I make myself clear, Bee?”

Bee gave Ratchet a cheeky look and buzzed, “Yes, mama.” 

Ratchet reached out and tweaked Bee’s horn, “I am not a human female, and I am your Carrier. I expect you to behave yourself and rest.”

Then with a quieter tone Ratchet added, “You really hurt yourself yesterday fighting your youngling protocols, Sire and me. I know how much it hurt you for the children to act the way they did. Optimus and I talked to June yesterday night. She will be talking to the children.”

“I don’t want to ever see them again, Ratchet!” Bee chirred.

Ratchet would have like to have agreed with Bee, but he could see Bee was speaking out of hurt not a genuine desire to never speak to them again.

“Bee, I know you are hurting right now, but at least give June a chance to talk to them. They misunderstood. Give it some time. If you still feel that way after talking to them, I’ll support you completely.”

Bee did not speak again but nodded slightly. Ratchet gently embraced the little, yellow scout wishing he could take the hurt away. Bee clung to his Carrier for a moment then pushed away.

“Can I play video games?” Bee whirred at Ratchet. He didn’t want to think about how Raf, Miko and Jack had acted. It hurt too much.

“Go get the console and set it up in here, Bee. I have work to do today. You can play your games and relax on a berth while I calibrate machines and other odds and ends. If you get hungry come to Optimus or me, I don’t want you on regular energon, yet. We’ll see how you feel in a couple of solar cycles.”

Bumblebee rolled his optics at his Carrier, but did as he was told. He knew Ratchet had his best interests at heart, and that he wasn’t usually overprotective and hovering. Bee collected the gaming console and accessories from the Rec. Room and set them up in the medbay. He crawled up on a berth and played games for a long while. He started feeling hungry and tired after a few joors. 

Ratchet had kept his EM fields dispersed widely to keep Bumblebee feeling secure and to help with the healing process. He could feel when Bumblebee’s EM fields took a dip indicating hunger and weariness. Ratchet onlined is feeding protocols.  
“Shut down the game, Bee…”

“Just a bit longer, I am almost at a new high score.” Bee buzzed distractedly.

“Save your game, Bee. You need to suckle and rest.”

Bee ventilated in frustration, “Yes, Carrier.” 

Bee saved his game at the next save point and shut the wall mounted flat screen television off. Ratchet sat down next to Bee and opened his chassis. Bee saw the full feeding pouches and nubs and hesitated.

“I usually have cubes of energon for my midday ration, Carrier.” Bee internally commed. 

The idea of regular energon was revolting to Bee in his current state, but he didn’t want to have to need to suckle more. He desperately wanted to be weaned so the kids wouldn’t laugh at him again.

“Bee, your protoform and spark need the closeness of suckling and the mix to heal optimally.” Ratchet commed back.

“How long am I going to have to suckle extra?”

“As long as you want or until I feel you are healed. Come here, Bee.” Ratchet commed Bee.

Bee slid over to Ratchet. They both lay together on the berth. Bee lay quietly against his Carrier’s open chassis and eventually latched on to suckle. He quickly drained his Carrier’s pouches and was feeling tired. He shuttered his optics and fell into recharge. Ratchet cleaned and closed his chassis. He pulled a warming blanket over Bee and got up from the berth. Ratchet was quietly cleaning some of his tools when Optimus entered the medbay. Optimus looked like he had just awakened from recharge and hadn’t had his morning or midday energon.

“How’s Bee?”

“He’s feeling better today, Prime. His youngling protocols are not overriding the higher functions of his processor. He is still in stress and his spark signature is weak. He is on medical leave for an orn. He’ll spend his days with you or me. He is hesitant to suckle, but he isn’t fighting his protocols.”

“Okay. I’ll go check on Arcee and Bulkhead. I have reports and schedules to work on. I’ll be in my office. Send Bee to me when he wakes.” Optimus turned to leave.

“Make sure you fuel up, Prime. He is suckling hard and often. You don’t want to get weak from lack of energon.”

Optimus nodded and left the medbay. He found Bulkhead at the monitors.

“Morning, Prime. Arcee is out on patrol. I am on monitor duty.”

“Thank you for stepping up and filling the gap, Bulkhead.” Optimus said with real gratitude.

“How’s Bee?” Bulkhead asked.

“Better, but he still needs rest. He’ll be off duty for an orn.”

“June spoke to Arcee and me about suckling last night.” Bulkhead told the Prime.

“And?”

“She seems like she is trying to keep an open mind and wants to help, Bee. I am so mad, Prime, mainly at Miko. She just doesn’t learn to stop nosing around. I feel like some of this is my fault because I brought her here early yesterday.” Bulkhead dropped his faceplates down in guilt.

Optimus gently laid a hand on his soldier’s shoulder strut. “You did no wrong, Bulkhead. The fault lies with Miko. We’ll deal with the situation.”

“Are they going to be permanently banned?” Bulkhead was missing Miko even if he was mad at her.

“Not if they can reconcile with Bumblebee. I think Miko will be grounded from base two orns to teach her a lesson about manners and privacy.”  
Bulkhead nodded.

“I will be in my office doing reports and reworking the schedule going forward. If you need anything, comm. me.”

“Will do, Prime.”

Optimus left the computer room and made his way to his office and sat down to do reports for Agent Fowler and to rework the schedule since Bumblebee was off duty. Bumblebee woke a few joors later feeling better. Most of the aches in his protoform were gone and his processor didn’t hurt as much either. He pushed the warming blanket down and sat up. He could feel Ratchet’s EM fields but didn’t see him.

“Ratchet?” Bee buzzed.

Ratchet yelled back, “I am over here under a table working on setting up another computer terminal for medical files.”

Bee slid from the berth and followed the sound of Ratchet’s voice. Ratchet was on his back struts under a table connecting lines and cables. Bee stooped down to take a look.

“How ya feeling, Bee?”

“A lot better, Ratchet.” Bee buzzed in Cybertronian shorthand.

“Prime is in his office. Go suckle and spend the afternoon with him.”

“It isn’t time for my evening feed, Ratchet.” Bee buzzed testily.

“I can feel your EMs, Bee, you are hungry. You are going to need extra youngling mix until your protoform, spark and processor heals. Now scoot or I’ll tie you up, toss you over my shoulder strut and carry you to Prime.”

“I am not a sparkling, Carrier.” Bee said with some anger.

“No, you are a stubborn youngling who is still trying to be human. You need to get it through that thick processor of yours that you are not ready to wean and there is nothing wrong with that.”

Bee stood up and left the medbay without saying another word. He was upset at his Carrier. Bee did seek out his Sire. Prime looked up from his desk as the door of his office opened. Bee came through looking unhappy. Prime’s feeding lines onlined as he felt the youngling’s unhappiness. Bee sat down on the Autobot sized sofa and put his faceplates in his hands. Optimus left his desk and joined the little, yellow scout on the sofa and put his arm around his youngling’s shoulder struts.

“What is wrong, Bee?”

“Ratchet is fussing at me.” Bee commed internally.

“Ratchet fusses a lot. It is how he shows he loves us. What was he fussing about?”

“He called me stubborn because I don’t want to suckle all the time. I am not a sparkling, Sire. I don’t want to suckle anymore. I want to be of age like Raf.”

“You are very close to being of age, Bee, but you are not of age yet. You have to suckle. You will hurt yourself trying to fight your protocols and needs. Right now, your protoform and spark are sick, and you need to suckle more to heal. There is nothing wrong with you needing to suckle. Bee, you are going to be an adult for a very, very long time. This time is short and soon will pass.”

Bee didn’t say anything more. Optimus kept his arm around the scout, but did not open his chassis even though his pouches were full and uncomfortable. He wasn’t going to force Bee to suckle. Bee would figure it out, or he would have another round of pain. Optimus didn’t like that idea, but Bee would have to come to him on his own. Bee sat next to the Prime for some kliks. He felt hungry, but he knew if he tried to drink regular energon, he would purge it. Finally, Bee climbed into Optimus lap and laid his helm against his Sire’s chassis.

“Thank you, Sire, for not fussing at me.” Bee buzzed as Optimus opened his chassis. 

Bee instinctually began to root for the feeding nub. Optimus felt intense relief as Bee found the nub on his left pouch and began to feed. Bee drained both of Optimus’ pouches quickly. Ratchet had been correct that Bee was suckling hard and hesitant. Optimus made a mental note to double his own rations and have a talk with Ratchet about pushing Bumblebee too hard.

“Do you want to read or watch the television?” Optimus asked Bee.

“Television!” Bee chirred. 

Bee had developed a true love of television. Prime gave Bee the remote to the wall mounted flat screen. Bee lay down on the sofa as the Prime rose to return to his desk to work. Bee flicked the television on and found some of his favorite programming on the National Geographic Channel. He lay there basking in his Sire’s EM fields and watched documentaries on the Earth’s animal inhabitants. Optimus glanced over at Bee from time to time to make sure his youngling was feeling good. After a few joors, Bee began to fidget in boredom.

“Sire, can I please do something? I am tired of sitting around.” Bee buzzed as he turned the television off and sat up.

“I am going to relieve Bulkhead for monitor duty. You can sit with me and help. That shouldn’t be too strenuous. Are you hungry?” 

Optimus shut down his computer and organized his data pads on the desk. He liked to have an organized desk when leaving his office.

“I am not hungry right now, Sire. I will go to you or Ratchet if I do get hungry.” Bee whirred.

“Okay, Bee. I trust you to know what your protoform and spark needs.”

Bee nodded. He understood the implicit warning not said in his Sire’s words. He was giving Bee the chance to be responsible. If he fought his protocols, Optimus would take matters into his own hands; or Primus forbid, have his Carrier deal with it.  
Bee followed Optimus to the computer room. Bulkhead smiled at Optimus. 

“Thanks for relieving me. Been at this for way too long. I am stiff. Gonna take patrol now to work the kinks outta my cables.”

Optimus felt a bit guilty that Arcee and Bulkhead had taken on extra responsibilities the last solar cycle. Bulkhead stood up and stretched causing cables and joints to pop and creak.

“How ya feeling, Bee?” Bulkhead asked.

“Okay.” Bee chirred.

Bulkhead gently patted Bee on the shoulder strut as he walked by, “Things will work out, Bee.”

Bee didn't respond to Bulkhead. He sat down next to Optimus to help watch the monitors. Toward the end of the shift, Bee was feeling tired and hungry. Optimus felt the dip in Bee’s EM fields but said nothing. He was going to try to let Bee come to him. Optimus onlined the feeding protocols and waited. Bee rubbed at his optics and sighed. He knew that Optimus knew he was hungry and tired.

“Sire, I am tired and hungry. Let’s go to your berth room.” Bee finally buzzed.

Optimus gave him a smile. “We’ll go as soon as your Carrier gets here to take over monitor duty.”

As Optimus was talking, the door to the computer room opened and Ratchet entered. 

“Go on, Prime. Go take care of our youngling. I got this covered.” Ratchet groused. He was not happy Bee was working even though it was only sitting and looking at a monitor. He would have complained if Optimus hadn’t given him a pointed look.

Optimus and Bee left the room, and made their way back to Optimus’ berth room. They settled down for Bee’s feeding. Bee fell into recharge soon after feeding. Optimus lie beside the recharging youngling and let his thoughts drift. He wondered how the children and June were doing.

June woke early, prepared for work. As she was leaving, she saw Jack sleeping on the couch. She knew he must have fallen asleep there last night while reading the data pad Ratchet had given them. She hoped Jack had read it all. She would speak to the children after her shift ended. Jack woke to his cell phone’s ringtone. 

He groaned and absently felt around in his pocket for the phone. “Yeah, Jack here.”

“Can I come over, Jack?” Miko’s voice chirped through the speaker.

“If you can get your exchange parents to drive you over. Thanks to you, we are all without wheels.” Jack responded crankily.

“Hey, that’s not fair…” Miko argued.

“Yeah well, you really put your foot in it this time, Miko, and drug Raf and me along for the ride.”

“You weren’t saying that yesterday, Jack!” Miko argued back.

“Just get a ride or walk over. We have to talk.” Jack hung up and texted Raf to meet.

Jack pulled himself off of the couch and made his way to the bathroom to wash and get ready for the day. He was not looking forward to talking with Miko and Raf and was positively terrified of having “the discussion” with his mother. A night’s sleep had made a huge difference in his perceptions of yesterday. Yesterday, Miko had come running up to them in a tizzy and immediately showed them the picture she had taken. It was shocking, but it was Miko rattling on about breastfeeding fetish hentai in Japan that had grossed Jack out and scared Raf. When Bee entered the Rec. Room, Miko and Jack had verbally attacked Bee with Raf cowering behind them. Jack had said some things he really regretted now looking back on the situation. Jack was getting a cup of coffee when he heard the doorbell ring. He set his coffee down on the kitchen table and went to the door. He saw through the spy hole that Raf and Miko were waiting to be let in. Raf looked sad, and Miko had that look like she ready for a fight. Jack sighed and opened the door.

“Morning, Raf, Miko.” Jack said as he let them in. Jack turned and returned to the kitchen to grab his coffee. Raf and Miko followed Jack.

“Coffee? Tea?” Jack asked.

Miko and Raf nodded in the negative.

Miko jumped in with both feet, “What is this ‘we have to talk’ all about, Jack?”

Jack sat down at the table and put his head in his hands. He hadn’t slept well and had a slight headache.

“We overreacted yesterday, and Bee is really hurt.”

“What is wrong with Bee?” Raf spoke up. He had not participated in the argument, but did not speak up in Bee’s defense either.

“Mom says he is sick from yesterday. It is normal for Cybertronians to nurse until they completely mature. He didn’t want to nurse after he fought with us and it caused damage.”

“He shouldn’t be nursing, Jack. That’s gross.” Miko interjected.

“No, Miko. You are very wrong. It is completely normal. When mom visited last night to talk about what happened, Ratchet gave her a data pad with all kinds of information about sparklings…baby Cybertronians…and younglings…Cybertronians Bee’s age.”

Jack passed the data pad to Miko who snatched it. Miko had an almost uncontrollable curiosity about everything. Jack watched as she turned on the data pad and began to read. He could see her expressions flit between curiosity, shock and then guilt as she read through the information. Silently, she passed the data pad to Raf who read it. Raf looked sad and guilty as he finished it.

“Now, do you see?” Jack asked.

“I didn’t know.” Miko said quietly.

“You didn’t try to find out, either. You came running up to us all geared up full of accusations…why were you nosing around Miko…how many times have you been warned by your exchange parents, parents, friends and the Autobots about digging and nosing around?”

“I was bored waiting for you guys…”

“That was no reason to go into Optimus’ berth room and take pictures, Miko. How would you like me to start digging through your stuff in your bedroom, take a picture of you in a private moment and show everyone?”

“It wasn’t like that…” Miko spat in anger.

“It was exactly like that, Miko.” Jack spat back.

“Stop arguing, you two!” Raf yelled.

Miko and Jack looked surprised at Raf’s outburst. He was usually the most even tempered of them.

“Miko, you were wrong. Jack and I were wrong. We have to apologize to Bee and try to make up.” Raf said with tears in his eyes. “I miss Bee.”

Miko slumped down. “Yeah, you’re right. I miss Bulkhead, too.”

“I said some nasty things to Arcee. I am lucky all she did was smack me.” Jack said with a bit of wry, black humor.

They sat quietly for a few moments. They were used to being at the Autobot base on the weekends. This was the first time in a long time; they had nowhere to go on a Sunday.

“Do you think they’ll ban us permanently?” Miko asked.

“I don’t think so. Mom said something about talking to us, and she talked with Prime.” Jack said.

“So, what do we do now?” Raf asked  
.  
“We hang out here until mom gets home. She is the only way we’ll be able to get the Autobot base.” Jack said.

The three children re-read the data pad and talked about the contents. After awhile, they watched television and played games. They were slowly counting down the time until June came home. It was tense and slow going.  
Finally, Jack, Miko and Raf heard Mrs. Darby’s car drive up. They were sitting on the couch waiting for June to enter the door. June unlocked the door and found the children on the couch. She gave them all a harsh stare.

“Let me get out of my work clothes then we’ll have a chat.”

June changed into a pair of old jeans and a t-shirt. She grabbed something to drink and sat down in the living room in her chair. She took a deep breath and began, “You all know why you are here?”

“Yeah, mom.”

“Yes, Mrs. Darby.”

“Miko, what you did was very wrong. That was a very deep violation of trust. Trust is hard won and easily lost. I doubt any of the Autobots are going to fully trust you even if they forgive you.”

Miko flinched at those words, “I didn’t think…”

“You rarely think about the consequences of your actions, Miko. People were hurt.”

Miko nodded and looked down in shame.

“Furthermore, you three acted very inappropriately at what Miko did discover.”

“That was my fault, too, Mrs. Darby. I told Raf and Jack about breastfeeding hentai in Japan and accused Bee and Optimus of doing the same thing.” Miko spoke up. She knew she was going to be in real trouble, but she didn’t want Jack and Raf to take full responsibility for what she started.

“Thank you for clarifying what caused Jack to insult Arcee and Bee. Speaking of hentai. You three do realize that other people, or in this case Cybertronians, live very differently from each other and most make assumptions that everyone else lives the same way. This whole event is a good reminder why we should never make assumptions. It makes an ass out of you and me.”

The children giggled at June’s profanity.

“Miko, I want you to tell Jack and Raf about something you do in Japan that we do not do over here.”

Miko sat lost in thought for awhile. “Well, during the winter months my family makes a trip to the local onsen…hot springs…we all take a bath and then soak together in the springs…make offerings to the Kami at the local shrine…and have a dinner of wasp larvae and rice.”

Jack stuttered, “You take a bath with your family together...you eat wasps?”

“Why?” Miko asked confused.

“Dude…that is just…” Jack shook his head at that.

“Different.” June interrupted. “I know the idea of communal bathing is odd in our country; in Japan, it is common especially at the onsen. People the world over eat bugs, Jack.”

“Yeah, when I visit family in Mexico City, we eat these great fried crickets with chili powder on them…yummy.” Raf piped up.

Miko looked hurt that Jack thought something was wrong with her.

June spoke to the children for at great length about cultural differences among humans and finally got around to Cybertronians.

“Cybertronians are very different than humans. Their physiology is different, their souls are different and how they live in family units is different. That doesn’t make how they live their lives any more wrong than Miko bathing with her family or Miko and Raf eating insects. I think it is time for us to pay the Autobots a visit and for you three to apologize for insulting them and attacking Bumblebee.”

Jack, Miko and Raf nodded in agreement. June called the number that had popped up on her ID on her cell.

“Hello, Mrs. Darby.”

June could hear Ratchet’s tense tone.

“How is Bee, today?”

“He is feeling better and resting right now.”

“I have talked to the children. They would like to come and talk to Bee and you guys.”

“Let me comm. Prime.”

“Optimus, June wants to bring the children over. Do you think Bee would like to speak to them?” Ratchet commed internally.

“He’s recharging but showing signs he’ll be waking. Let me find out.”

Optimus gently stroked Bee’s cheek plates, “Bee, wake up.”

Bee chirred a bit in recharge and un-shuttered his optics buzzing “What, Optimus?”

“June wants to bring the children to talk to you. Do you want to see them?”

Bee flinched at the idea scared of being hurt. “Okay.” Bee chirped.

“If they upset you, they will leave and never return.”

Bee nodded and held his hands out for a hug. Optimus pulled his youngling into a hug.

“Ratchet, Bee has agreed to talk to them. If they act inappropriately, they will be made to leave.”

“Good. Ratchet out.”

Ratchet spoke to June, “They can come.”

“Thank you, Ratchet. Bye.”

June hung up the phone and turned to the children, “They have agreed.”

The children gathered up their stuff and got into June’s car. June drove them out to the Autobot base. Arcee and Bulkhead were waiting for them in the parking lot as the children got out.

Jack looked up at Arcee, “I am very sorry I insulted you. I didn’t understand and acted out in ignorance.”

Arcee just glared at Jack, “Do you understand why I find it offensive?”

Jack sighed, “Yeah. Bee is Ratchet and Prime’s adopted child. Also, you are not the kind of person to just lay down with anyone, and Bee is like a sibling. I am sorry, ‘Cee. Can you give me another chance?”

Arcee ventilated heavily, “You are my friend and partner. I am going to try to forgive you and get past this. There will not be a second chance…” Then with more kindness she said, “If you get confused about anything we do or are, just ask.”

Jack nodded and held his hand out to Arcee. She gently took his hand in hers.

Meanwhile, Miko was looking up at Bulkhead. He looked angry and concerned. “Miko, I can’t trust you…we are supposed to be friends and partners…” Bulkhead looked like he wanted to cry.

“I am sorry, Bulkhead. I didn’t mean to hurt anyone…”

“Your actions hurt all of us, Miko. I am not going to be able to forget that. It is going to be a very long time before I trust you again. You are going to have to do a lot to regain our trust.”

Miko looked sad and tears fell from her eyes at the reality of the situation, “I know, Bulk. I am so sorry. I didn’t think.”

“Alright, I forgive you. From now on, you will not go digging and exploring. If you want to explore or you are curious, ask for one of us to go with you.” Bulkhead picked her up and put her on his shoulder.

They all turned to enter the base. The found Bee sitting between Ratchet and Optimus on the Autobot sized couch in the Rec. Room. Ratchet looked as sour as could be. Prime’s face was impassive as a stone. Bee twitched and jerked in nervousness.   
Bulkhead let Miko down. Jack, Raf and Miko walked up to Bee’s peds and looked up at the youngling. They could see he had been sick. His optics were dim and shadowed. He looked fragile and weak.

“Bumblebee, I am sorry I went snooping and took a picture of you with Optimus. I didn’t understand what was going on and told the Jack and Raf things that obviously aren’t true. I won’t be snooping anymore.” Miko patted his ped and looked up in sad hope  
.  
“I am sorry, Bee, that I called you a sick fucker. You are not sick, perverse or disgusting. Ratchet gave us a data pad about sparklings and younglings. We know you need to suckle, and there is nothing wrong with that. I am also sorry that I believed Miko instead of asking you.” Jack looked down in shame.

“I am sorry, Bee, that I didn’t defend you. I know you are a good person, but I was afraid to stand up to them. I won’t be afraid again.” Raf looked up at Bee.

Bee could hardly believe his audios. They were apologizing to him. He could see they meant it. They didn't think he was dirty or had Cybonic plague. They were trying to understand. He nodded to the children and held his hand out to them. They all put their small hands into his larger one. Bee began to chirr and chirp in happiness and cry at the same time. Ratchet gently stroked the scout’s door wings. He could see Bee was forgiving the children and made a decision to help Bee and the children mend fences.

Optimus spoke then, “I am grateful that you came to talk to Bee. It will take time for all of us to heal from this event. There are consequences, however. Miko, since it was your actions that brought us all to this, you are grounded from the base for one month. You may not visit or contact any of us. Bulkhead will not take you to school or pick you up. Starting tomorrow.”

Miko said, “Okay, Optimus.”

Ratchet spoke up next, “Since you are all here, I want to take this time to show you a few things.”

Ratchet opened his chassis and onlined the feeding protocols. The children watched in fascination. “These are feeding lines and storage pouches. Every mech and femme as them.”

The children nodded. Ratchet reached behind the right pouch and removed a small cube, “These are holo-pictures of Bee when he was a sparkling…baby.”

Ratchet sat the cube on a table and activated it. The first picture was of Ratchet holding a tiny sparkling in the palm of his hand. The sparkling was reaching toward whoever was taking the picture. The sparkling had little in the way of armor. He was silvery protoform with frosty blue eyes and small helm horns.

“That’s Bee?” Miko asked in awe. He was barely bigger than her then.

“That is Bee. The picture was taken a few orns after I adopted him. Our sparklings are very small upon emergence. We do not show our carrying like human females. If I were about to give birth this minute, you would never know it by looking at my frame.”

The children all gathered around the picture looking at it raptly and asking Bee about being a sparkling. Bee buzzed his responses which Ratchet or Raf translated. The pictures began to shuffle showing progressively older Bee. Some were taken with Ratchet or Prime. Some were Bee nursing or recharging. Some were pictures of Bee climbing, falling and making messes. Pictures typical of any family album with a well loved child. The children gathered around Bee after the show ended and began excitedly asking questions about his memories. Bee whirred and buzzed happily with the children. Soon they had moved to other pursuits as children do. They were all in Bee’s lap playing games. June watched the children with Bee. Ratchet and Prime watched also.

“Do you think they’ll be okay?” June asked quietly.

“I think so.” Prime answered.

Soon it was time to go. June rounded the children up and headed them out to her car. She turned and waved good bye. Bee was tired but happy. The pain in his spark was gone. He happily took his evening feed with Ratchet.  
Miko stayed away for her month. She moped and complained, but she learned a valuable lesson in minding one’s business and not jumping to conclusions.

It took time for other Autobots to move past the children hurting Bee. Bee was quick to forgive as most children are. He was happy having his friends back and in some ways it made them closer as they understood each other better than before. Sometimes the children came early or stayed late and Bee suckled in the Rec. Room. The first few times it happened they all watched raptly. After awhile, it became commonplace, and the children didn’t give it another thought. Life went on.


End file.
